Electric signaling system



May 10, 1927. 1,628,493

J. DONAHOE ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed- Aug. 1;. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mif' 42 wa /H 76 5 INVENTOR. T

J. T. DQNAHOE ELECTRIC SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Aug, 15. 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T/Ig V EN TOR. BY

A RNEY Patented May 10, 1927.

JOHN nonAHoE, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS. I

nnncraic SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed August 13, 1825. Serial No. 49,9 13.

The present invention relates generally to electric signaling systems wherein bothv power and signaling circuits are inter-related and more particularly to such systems in electricallydriven or controlled vehicles, such as basses, streetcars, and the like.

In its specific form the invention has been worked out in connection' with electrically operatedstreet cars. and it will accordingly be described as so applied,--al-t;hough it will be apparent that the invention is applicable to other vehicles and useful 'in other rela tions'; i

The invention has to do with signaling automatically from the front end of the vehicle to the rear, and, where a trailer is used, to the trailer; thins, inthe case of a street car, signaling from a motor nan .at the front end of the car to a conductor at the rear end of the same car, and, where a trailer is in use, also. a traininan in the trailer.

It has been usual heretofore merely for the conductor to signal the motorman'and in certain automatic Systems the doors of the car have been interlocked with the controller in such a way that a car cannot be started until the doors are closed.

But the introduction of the crossing policeman and traffic control signals has brought to light defects in these priorart equipments. In ordinary operation, the conductor does not know whether thetraftic signal indication is to go or stop, and accordingly he makes every effort to close the doors of the car'as soon as possible in order toallow the car .to proceed. Passengers attempting to board the car-frequently find the doors closed and yet the car does not-move because .of an adverse tratfic'sig nal. he resulting delay and inconvenience to the passengers is considerable and often there isfriction between, the trainmen and passengers because'the' doors are not opened and the passengers allowed to board the car.

The principal object of the invention is'to overcome the dilliculties growing out of this inability of. the conductors to know whether the car may proceed or not. This object is attained by combining with the power cir cuits and controller of the car a signaling circuit in such away thatrwhen the motorinun is in readiness to proceed, by reason of the clear way'before him, the'conductor will be apprized of that fact. i

"Preferably, the signaling circuit is so associated with the controller and the starting circuit of the car that when the motorn an moves his controller to the starting position, the car will either start or ,a signal will be displayed'before the conductor to indicate that the traflic conditions are such that the car may proceed.

The starting circuit of the motors of the caris controlled at two points; One of these is under the control of the motorman, and theother requires the manipulation of certain parts by the, conductor. The former controlis exercised by the motormans controller and the latter is preferably accompl-ished'by the manipulation of the doors underthe conductors control. lVith this arrangement, if the doors are closed when the motorinan moves his controller to close his portion of the starting circuit, the car starts at once. If the doors are open, the car stands, notwithstanding the movement of the controller to its starting position, until the doors are closed; whereupon the car starts. In the preferred form of the invention the signal is not displayed unless the conductors portion of the starting circuit is open, that isto say, unless the doors are open. In other embodiments, however, 1 provide for the display of the signal whenever the m'otor'inan7s controller rests in starting position, no matter what the condition of the conduct-ors portion of the starting circuit. 7 I

With my system installed upon the car, a most satisfactory operation of the same is obtainable. lV-hen'the car approaches an intersection where a passenger stop is to bc made, the conductor, as heretofore, opens his doors to allow passengers to board or leave the car but, instead of closing them as soon as possible, 'he leaves them open until he receives the signal from the motorznan that the traffic conditions are favorable to proceeding. The mot-crinan, brought his car to a. stop, waits for e traffic signal with his controller in the off. or open positio 'n and when he receives the traffic signal to go, he moves his controller to the first point and thereby closes his pore ticn of the starting circuit. This move mentor the controller also: signals the con" ductor that everything isclear in front and that the car is ready toproceed. The con ductor then closes his doors as quickly as possible. The closing of the doors com pletes' the conductors portion of the start in circuit. and the car at once starts. 1t tor any reason the conductor closes his doors before receiving the signal from the inotorinan. then, of course, the increment oil:' the controller to the first point causes the car to start at once.

.l-lavingr set ii orth the general nature of the invention, attention is now directed to the accompanying drawings and the following: detailed dcsticription wherein the inrcntion is more particularly disclosed, refer encc being; had to the claims for the scope of the invention.

In said drawings, Fig.1. 1. is a diagram of the electrical circuitsol a street car power and si naling; system constructed and arranged in accordance with the present inrcntion; Fig. 9 is a diagram ot a. portion of the controller connections and signaling circuit of a modified arrangement; and Fig. 3 is a similar diagram illustrating a ilurthcr niot'lijtication wherein the signaling circuitis controlled by contacts actuated by the handle (It the controller. 'llln'oiurhout these views like characters refer to like parts.

Referring to the (lltt\llll'5 in detail. and morev particularly at first to the circuit d1agram of Fig. 1, LT designates the motornians controller, RS the reversing switch, FS the field control switch. Lll the line breaker, A. A A. A", the motor urinaturcs F F F. F their field windings respectivey, L the signal before the conductor. L that before a traininan in the trailer. S the door switches under the condnctors control. CB the circuit breaker, and R R, P, the resistance grids for inclusion in the power circuits of the motor.

The cord-roller UN is an Spoint controller havinga ratchet switch. It comprises 18 contact lingers designated to 537 inclusive and associated segmental contacts having like numbers with exponents a and by all ciimncctcd as illustrated. The eight positions of the lingers as they engage the see;- Incnts are indicated by the. vertical dotted lines bcarinc at their upper ends the inn nicrals it to El inclusive. The ratchet switch upon the controller is oli usual construction and by it contacts 26 and it? are bridged by wt. E341 as soon as the. controller reaches its nrsr cloi-rd position. and such electrical c nnection is continued as long! as the con trollcr handle is advanced. but as soon as the direction ot' movement ol the controller handle is reversed the circuit between contacts 26 and J? is broken. l'lac mechanical ai'rangreincnt ot the controller parts includ' inc; the ratchet switch is the usual one and need not be particularly ilhistrated and described.

The resistance grids are. connected h end and intermediate tops to certain contacts of the controller. Thus grid R is connected hctwecn contacts 13 and 1%, grid P? be 1 on a, 1 e a tween contacts l t; and 15. paid R between contacts 1:? and 119, arid R." betweei'l con tacts 9.2 and :31. and grid h between contacts 2L and 23. Contact 10 is connected by conductor tonne of the control contacts ot the field switch FS. Contact 11 is connected by conductor til to one terminal of the lifting coil LC of the line breaker fill. Contact 1:? is connected by conductor (32 to one oi? the lower contacts of switch F Contacts 16 and 17 are connected by conductor as; to one of the main terminals of the line breaker Ll). Contacts 18 and 20 are connected by conductor (ill: to one of the contacts of switch ti. Contact is connected by comluctor to one of the upper contacts otj' switch F3 Contact- 9A: is connectcd directly to contact 22. Contact 25 emuuurtcd to ground. Contact 526 is connected by conductor (36 to one terminal of the circuit lIll'Qtll-IQI' Cl). Contz'lct, 27 is connected by conductor 67 to an auxiliary switch upon the line breaker LP.

The reversing switch .lS is of usual construrtion and iiu-hu'les contact fingers designates :28 to E2, inclusive, which cooperate with similarly lcsignated contact scg'i'nents, the doc ejnations in the first position having correspondinn numert'lls-witth the exponent n. and in the reverse position like numerals with the exponent b. The switch is shown with the lingers enclosed upon the segments which give the forward operation oil the motors. The niechai'iical arrangement of? this switch is the usual. one and need not he particularly illustrated and described.

The field control switch FS is an electroinae netically o ierated switch for cutting; out certain of the tield windings ot the motors to increase the speed of the same. It is of well known construetioi'i and comprises contact lingers designated 41-1; to 56 inclusive, cooperating with associated segmental contacts designated by corresponding; numerals with the exponents a and b. The switch is shown in one ctimtact engaging position. It

moved to the other contact engaging position by the acttuxtion ol the lifting: coil LC.

l iine brcaluir Till ctunpriees two main contarts (l8 and (39 associated with a blow-out coil 70. The littinp; coil LC is actuated to nrike and break circuit at the contacts 68. till. An auxiliary circuit is also made and broken between contacts 71. and 72 by the some operation of the lilting. coil LC. The circuit of the latter coil is controlled by switch coils SC and 91C- which act upon an armature T3 to hold it norn'ially in position to close contact Tl upon contact 75. l l hen the coils SC and SC are energized. then contact Tet closes circuit with contact 76. This breaker is of usual construct-ion and its mechanical arrangement need not be particularly described. it

The door switches US are in series cirtoo cuit with the circuit breaker CB and the trolley conductor T. These switchesare lo- 'ated on the door engines and are open when the doors are open, and closed. when the doors are closed.' They are under the direct control of the conductor.

The various circuit connections will be best understood by briefly describing the operation of the system. If it be assumed that the car is standing and the controller CN is in the elf position and the reversing switch thrown for forward ,movement, then the parts will occupy the positions illustrated. This is the normal condition when the car is at rest. If,'now,the motorman has his door closed and. a favorable traiiic signal confronts him, then he at once throws his controller to the first positionand thereby completes a circuit through the .signal L, which is preferably an incandescent lamp, to apprize the conductor of the fact that the car may proceed. This circuit may be traced from the trolley 'wire, lV through trolley conductor T, conductor 77, fuse Z, resistance coil C, lamp L, conductor 63, controller contacts 17,,17 19, 19, resistance grids R R R controller contacts 13, 13 12, 12, conductor 62, lower contacts of switch S conductor 78, control coil CC of the reversing switch FS, conductor 79 to point 80,'where the current divides, one half passing through armature A conductor 81, the reversing switch contacts 29, 28 28, conductor 82, held switch contacts 50, 50 44 45, conductor 83, field winding F ,'conductor 84, reversing switch contacts 30, 31, to point- 85, the other half passing from point 80 through conductor 86, armature A conductor '87, reversing switch contacts 34, 34, 35,

conductor 88, field switch contacts 46, 46,

52, 52, conductor 89, field winding F conductor-90, reversing switch contacts 33, 32, 32, to pointS5, there the current through both paths uniting and extending through conductor 91, the upper contacts of switch S conductor 65, resistance grids R It,

.controller contacts 22, 22 20, 20, conductor 6 4, contacts of switch S conductor 92, to point 93, there again the current dividing, one half passing through armature. A the conductor 9 1, the reversing switch contacts 37, 36?, 36, conductor 95, field winding F conductor 96, held switch contacts 55, 4:9, 419, conductor 97, reversing switch contacts 38, 38, 39. to ground at 98, and the other half passing through armature A, conductor 113. reversing switch .contacts 42, e l-2, 13, conductor 110, field .windingFfl conductor 114, f eld switch contacts 48, 418 4E7, 555, 53, conductor 112 ,reversing switch contacts 4:1, 4:0, and 40, to ground at 98. The closing of this circuit, as before noted, lights lamp L, The. conductor, knowing that the conditions are favorable to the starting'of the car, closes his doors as soon as possible shunt of the branch including lamp L, coil C, and'fuse Z, and thereupon the lamp L is extinguished andthe signal no longer displayed. The circuit by which the line breaker is actuated may be traced from the trolley line 'W through trolley conductor T, door switches DS, circuit breaker CB, conductor 66, ratchet switch contacts 26, 26, 27, conductor 67, armature 73, contacts Tet, 75, lifting coil LC, resistance 99, conductor 61, and controller contacts, 11, 11 to ground. The closing of this circuit actuates coil LC and promptly closes the main contacts 68, 69 of the breaker LB, thereby short-circuiting the lamp L, as before noted. The closing of the auxiliary contacts 71, 72 by the actuation of coil LC provides an additional path to. ground through resistance 100, conductor 101 and closed contacts 71, 72. This path allows sutlicient current to fiowthrough coil L0 to hold contacts 68, 69' closed even when the controller is moved to the next-point, and the ground on conductor 61 at controller contacts 11, 11 thus removed. The presence of this circuit maintains the line breaker closed until the circuit just traced is opened at the circuit breaker GB, the door switches DS. the ratchet switch contacts '26, 27, or at the line breaker itself by the actuation of the overload coil S6 While the line breaker LB remains open the current fiow-' ing through the shunt path including the signal lamp L, is not suftici-entto start the motors, being ordinarily not more than about ampere. However, as soon as the line breaker is closed the how of current over the starting circuit, which excludes the lamp L, is. suflicient to set the motors in operation.

, In case of an overload on the motors, coil S0 being in the main power circuit, pulls up armature 73 andthereby opens contacts .74, T5, and closes contacts H, T6. The opening of contacts 74 75 breaks the circuit of coil LC; and allows contacts 68, 6.9 to open, but at the same time-coil SC is energized over a circuit which may be traced from wire W, through trolley pole T, door switches DS, switch CB, conductor 66, ratchet switch contacts 26, 26 27,conductor 67, armature 73, contacts 74,-, 76, coil SC, resistor 100. conductor 101 and closed contacts 71. 72 to ground. This cnergization of coilSC holds contacts 71, 76 closed, coil SC being now decnergized and no longer able to perrorin this function. The coil S6 will continue to hold contacts 7%, 76 closed even after the overload is removed and it is necessary for the motorman to move the controller handle to the ofipositionin order to deenergize the coil SC,

(ill

ancc grids ll. ll,

the ground 'u'eviously turnished hr coir troller ill. The only ellect of moving the controller to the second position is to remove resistance grids R and P. from the circuit previously troced. in like manner the movement oil" the controller to its third position changes the circuit estahliulual hr the uecond position only to the extent o5 reiuorinc; resistance .e'rid ll" 'lroiu the circuit. likewise the shitting; of the controller to th fourth position removes reeistain'e e'riil ll from circuit, and a silnihir mmxement to the ti'lth position removes re istznire 1l'l(l ll.

Tn shifting from the filth pocition to the sixth, the motors are thrown into a dillercnt. arrangement of parallel circuits. lhe circuit (,StllbllSllttl hy the sixth position may he traced from the trolley wire ll th ough coiuloctors T. T7. line lureelzer L l. conduc' tor (iii, controller contacts 16. '16, 12, 12 conductor switch S conductor Til, con trol. switch coil CG" conductor 79 to point 5-?0. there dividing us he'lore traced. two hrunches extending hetween points 80 and in one tlirough armature A and its hold wii'uline F1 and the other through nrinatiu'c :U and its lield winding F. then trout point 85 continuing through conductor i li switch S conductor (351 resistance uads it 13" ud controller contacts 2t. 21% 525, 25 to ground. 'lhere is also another hrancli path which may he traced from controller contact 11'; through contacts 16. l t, l-l, re,-'-ist controller contacts 15% 19, 18. 1S, coiuluctor lil, switch S, conductor 92 to point 9?), there dividing. one hell pansine' through armature A and its lield winding F and the other hall through fl111111- ture A and its field winding; F as preriously traced. the two hranchcs connecting to ground at the point 98. The increment oi the controller to the seventh position uicrol :ilters the circuit oi position it to the extent of removing first. resistance grid h from the branch circuit includinr' arniatures A and AH and second. the resistance grid ll fil'OlQl the branch circuit iuclruling' arn1alures 1 and A" The further movement (it the controller to the eighth position ren'iores resistance grid B from the former branch circuit. and R from the latter. thus minorin: all resistances from the motor circuit.

It will also he noted that when the con trollcr UN reaches in; eighth position, the conductor is grounded through controller contacts 10, 10'; nod 11. The eti'ect oil such grounding is to complete an energizing circuit tor the lifting coil LU oi the .lield control switch Ft l. As previously noted, the purpose o t this switch is to still- :turther in crease the speed of the motors hy cutting out portions ot' the field windingsl F Fh F. .t consideration oi the previous circuits oi? the motors will show that current passing to the motors rnuat. pass through the control-- ling coil of control :eritch CU. Now, with the controller in the eighth position, as the epeed oil the cur increases, the amount of (uirrent passing); through the coil of switch ttl tulle oil and tint-ill it reaches a point where the hridgin c cr'mtaet drops into engiatenient with contacts 101, 1012, and therelg; completes a circuit tor the lifting coil lit o'l the lield cmltrol switch F3. This circuit may he traced from wire through conductors T. 77. the line hr alter llill, conductor (i3, controller contacts 16, 16, 15", 15, mndiu'tor 10; IJITOlGtlTlYC resistance 101, coil LC. conductor 10:3, closed contacts 101, 1052. rouchictor (i0, controller contacts 10, 10*, and '11. to gljround. The completion of this circult canoes coil L0 to throw the switch Ft, to its alternate position, therehy replacing the ground connection initially established through conductor and switch CC by a connection to ground through field switch contacts no, 56". In this way the tield switch FS is held in its alternate position until the circuit is hrolcen at; contacts 101, 102 in' an increase of current in coil CC or at controller contacts 141 15 when the controller is moved in the reverse direction.

The ctiect of the operation of the switch l t'l to change the number of field wind in es in circuit. Thus in the case of field winding F the former circuit between conductors Stl: and i3 is replaced by a circuit between comluctors S i and 106, the latter condoctor being COTIUQCl'GCl to conductor 82 by a path including: field switch contacts all 4 1. it), and 50, In like manner the circuit of field winding, l between conductors 95 and 96 is replaced he that between conductors 95 and 107, the latter conductor being conuccted to conductor 97 ever u path including licld switch contacts 54-, 54", T), 19", and 41-9. Similarly in the case of field windii'ig' F the circuit hetween conductors 90 and 89 is replaced hy one between conductors 90 and 10B, and the latter is placed in circuit with conductor 88 over a path including field switch contacts 51, 51, 52, -16, and 46. And finally in the case of field winding F, the circuit between conductors 109 and 110 is roplaced by that between 110 and 111, the latter being: connected to conductor 112 through field switch contacts 47, 47?, 53, and 58.

It will be noted that during all these open till quently, no; signal will be displayed. "The placing of the signal L in a path in shunt to the contacts 68 and 6 9 of the line breaker does not in any way interfere with the operation of the car motors. I The signal is displayed only when the controller 18' onjthe first point and the car doors are open. It

will be clear from the drawing that if a second branch circuit, including the signal L coil C and fuse Z is employed, there will be a display of both signals L and L whenever the controller is onthefirst point and the doors are open. In the diagram the switches S and S indicate the connections between cars, which would be flexible connections such as are now commonly employed. The resistance in the pai allel paths,

including the signals L and L should be such that the closing of the signaling circuit will prevent sufiicient current to flow to start the motors. This is a mere matter of engineering. I

The hand switches S and S are for disconnecting the motors in sets of two, the

s vitch S for the motors having armatures A and A and switch S for the motors-having armatures A and A Instead. of simply connecting the branch circuit of the signalL across the terminals of the line breaker, I may arrange the sig naling-circuit so as to be under control of contacts upon the motornians controller. Such arrangements are illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3.

or circuits, aS the case may be, and the other end of the circuit, or circuits, is connected by conductor 115 to an extra finger 116 upon the controller N The latter engages contact 117 whenever the controller is in its first position. Contact 11? is connected with 11, which is grounded. The resulttthen is that every time the controller is moved to its first position a circuit is established through the signal L, L by way of contacts 116, 117 and 11. In this figure the other parts of the controller are the same as shown in Fig; 1. A fewnumerals have been added to show the correspondence between them.

In the modification shown in Fig. 3 the same circuit is employed as in Fig. 2 but the ground connection is controlled by contacts 118 and 119. As illustrated, the contact 118 is fixed and the contact 119 is mounted on a pivoted lever 120 which is normally held in to the first controller position it will en-' gage the lever 120 to move contact 119 into engagen'ient with contact 118 and thereby 1n the former the conductor 77' connects with one end of the branch 0113011113,

close the signaling circuit previously described. In this instance, the cont'rollercontact arrangement would be the same, as

shown more fully in Fig'l.

These modifications show that it is possible to arrange the signal circuit in various ways and still perform the desired functions. 1n the case of Figs. 2 and 3 the signaling circuit is directly under the control of the motorman and the conductor does not exercise any control over "it. In this way these modifications differ somewhat from the preferred form of the invention. The line breaker, however, is under the control of the door switches DS, just'as before,and the motorman cannot start the car unless the doors are closed. It may be further noted that if two motor carsare coupled together, then the controller of the second car is cut out of circuit and the line breakers of the two cars are connected in series. In such. event, with the embodiment of the'invention illustrated in Fig. 1, there is a signal L in parallel with each line breaker and the line breaker of each car is .under the controlof the conduc-. tor or traininan of that particular car. Consequently, the closing of each line breaker short-circuits the associated signal and extinguishes it. i

It is clear that where the term conductrainman in the second car where the latter is a motor car as well as a trailer without motors.

The term motorman is used to describe that person who in the control of the vehicle has a clear view of the road ahead and is located at the front end of the car or train. The term is broadly used to include a bus driver or other person having direct and main control of the operation of the vehicle.

Modifications of the invention other than those disclosed may obviously be made without departing from its spirit and scope. I therefore do not wish to be limited to the exact embodiments herein disclosed, but aim to cover by the terms of the appended claims all modifications and alterations of the same which lawfully come within the scope of the 1 invention.

That I claim as newand desire to secure by a patent of the United States is:

1. An electrical system of the class described comprising a motor-starting circuit normally open at a plurality of points, a

inotorn'ians controller for closing: said starting circuit at certain of said points thereby partially completing said starting circuit, an electrically operated signal before the qonductor, incans including circuit: connections whereby said signal is operated to indicate such partial completion oi said starting circuit, and means under the conductors control for tl'iereupon closing said starting circuit at the remainder ol said points thereby .t'ully completing said carting circuit.

An electrical srsleni oi? the clasa dcscribed comprising a zuotonstartine' circuit normally open at a plurality ol points. a path for current shunting one of said points. a signal operated by current through said path "when said starting circuit is open at said shunt point, a inotorniairs controller for closing said starting circuit at unshuntcd points to complete a signaling circuit through said shunt patlu nreaiia for causing current to flow through said signaling); circuit to operate said signal and means under the conductors control for short-circuiting said shunt path to change the condition of said signal and to complete the starting circuit.

3. An electrical system oi. the class described comprising a motor-starting circuit normally open at a plurality of points, a nictornians controller for closing said start ing circuit at certain oi? said points thereby partially completing said starting circuit, an electrically operated signal before the conductor, means including circuit connections for displaying said signal to indicate such partial completion of said starting circuit, an electroinagnetically operated switch for closing said starting circuit at the re- .inainder oi said points and negativing the display oi said i igi'nah and means under the conductor-s control for actuating said clcctroinagnctically operated switch.

l. in electrical system of the class described comprising a nrotor-starting circuit JOHN T. DDNAHOE. 

